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Saturday, October 1, 2016

Waking up in Washington, D.C.

Today is October 1, and after a week apart, our family is again under the same roof, waking up in Washington D.C. for the next year or two. More on that in a minute.

To back up for a hot second, this blog has been on an extended hiatus for about three years. To bring everyone who isn't already in the know up to speed, not much has changed in those three years other than welcoming a son, expecting a second child this Thanksgiving, and yes, moving from our house in Fullerton, California to Washington, D.C. Details, details.

So, the move. To quote Rogers and Hammerstein, let's start at the very beginning. Back in March of this year, Scott and I sat on our respective couches one evening and he pitched the idea of applying for a job with the government. Naturally this could be very local or...not. At the time I was working for the City of Fullerton so I had a fleeting thought it may have been a local municipality. Alas, he was thinking the heart of our nation. Sure, I said, thinking we'd have the better part of a year to really hash this idea out. Well, come May, Scott was taking assessment tests and phone interviews were being held, and by July and August things were getting really real. Parents and friends were told of the idea and our late night hashing took place a lot sooner than I anticipated. When he formally accepted the position and we flew out on a whirlwind, 2-day, 18-stop recon mission to Baltimore and DC to find our home in early September, reality was staring me in the face.

The recon trip was really the eye-opener experience for me, as everything had been theoretical up until that point--sure, it sounded like an exciting adventure. Sure, it was only going to be for a year or two, of course we could do that. But, mom guilt sets in hard and I really was questioning my decision wondering if I was being selfish taking our son away from his grandparents, whom he his extremely close to, other family, and his friends and activities that are as predictable as the sun rising each day. And I came to the conclusion that ultimately, yes, he will miss family and friends and they will miss him. But he is three and adaptable and while he's a creature of habit this will be a growing experience for him as much as it is Scott and me.

So, more tears were shed because I hate disappointing anyone (Mom, Dad, my in-laws specifically) and because of the of the other huge part of this move-being 32 weeks pregnant and having a baby outside of my sweet little comfort zone of St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton and not having a doctor yet identified out here (goal numero uno this week.)

We packed up our duplex in Fullerton which is being rented while we are away, purged/donated/stored many items since we have moved from a 2 bed/1 bath 1100 square foot home to a 2 bed/2 bath 850 square foot condo in DC. On Monday, September 26, Scott packed up our Subaru and two cats at about 5 a.m. PST (because I know I will be mentally straddling two time zones while here), and began the nearly 3,000 mile journey cross country. That story is a post in itself and I really hope I can persuade him to chronicle it. I'll tempt you by saying as I type this at 8 a.m. our car is being detailed outside the condo from the felines on the epic journey.

Scott arrived on Thursday, September 29, after four days driving, and Henry and I flew out on Friday, September 30. Saying goodbye to my parents Thursday night and Scott's parents on Friday at the airport was really hard. Just walking through security and the gate and boarding the airplane was tough because of the constant streaming from my eyes. I knew I would be sad but I didn't realize it would be a constant cry. Now Henry? He was fine. He was stoked to be on the plane. I about lost it with some unknowing passengers though when I realized while boarding that the airlines had not sat us together but rather in middle seats a row apart. I asked a rather sweet, grandmotherly looking woman to swap with me and she defied stereotypes flat out refusing. However, a really nice young guy did (because what option was there really?) and I am so grateful for his willingness to do so. Might have had something to do with the emotionally unstable woman practically pleading with him.

Henry was a champ on the plane and we arrived safely from hot So Cal temperatures to drizzly 60 degree weather here in DC at 9 p.m. (EST) on Friday night. Somehow Scott navigated us home from Ronald Reagan airport (I seriously have no idea how I am going to drive here with five-way stops, one way streets, about 769 highway routes, traffic circles with five entries...that will take practice.)

Last night Scott and I unpacked the kitchen and some other essential boxes knowing today will be the majority of our getting settled. Tomorrow I want to walk the neighborhood and get a better lay of the land (and one way streets) before he starts his new job on Monday and Henry and I have our first full day weekday here together.

4 comments:

Also. I cannot wait to hear about your driving adventures in DC. I've been going off and on for 9 years now, and I still have LITTLE idea about what direction I'm going when and the friggin CAPITAL BELTWAY? I have no idea. I thought our freeways were a nightmare.

OMG! That old granny not swapping. Lol. Thankful someone found kindness enough to switch! And love that Henry loved the plane :) Little boys always seem to be up for a new adventure in transportation, right?!

We flew home from Cabo over spring break and we were all on different areas of the plane. The ticket agent said "oh well, hopefully someone will switch with you".....and then no one would! FINALLY a teenaged girl agreed to. Thank goodness! Lol. Glad it worked out for you too!